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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776142">Missed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleidosphere/pseuds/boys_in'>boys_in (kaleidosphere)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FE Femslash February 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Feelings, Fluff, Friends to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:48:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,278</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleidosphere/pseuds/boys_in</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She missed her laughter most of all.</p><p>-</p><p>Day 2, Prompt: Laughter</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anthiese | Celica/Efi | Faye</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FE Femslash February 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620010</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>FE Femslash February 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Missed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Fun Fact: In Echoes, if you play as Alm and leave Faye and Kliff behind, you can recruit them in Celica's army, instead. This is a loose interpretation of that choice, and how Faye really needs more love and depth beyond her fixation on Alm. (Also, can you tell I haven't played Echoes in a while? 'Cause it's been a while.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Faye wanted to go with Alm. She made it clear by repeating herself a dozen times, trying to convince him to let her go along with him. Gray and Tobin were going, so why couldn't she?</p><p>"You and Kliff stay here," Alm insisted. "It's dangerous where we're going, the Deliverance's no joke, and—"</p><p>"And what?" Faye squinted at him. "I can fight! I've been practicing magic and archery, too! I'm not as good at shooting arrows as Tobin is, and Kliff is better at fire magic, but I—"</p><p>"I don't want you to get hurt!" Alm snapped. "You're staying here, and that's final!"</p><p>She stormed off not too long after that. Kliff tried to go after her, but she shouted at him to leave her alone, as well, frustrating the two of them even further.</p><p>She didn't see Alm off as he left.</p><p>It was just as well.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Days had passed since then. Faye apologized to Kliff by making him lunch, and the two of them sat out in the fields quietly, reading books and watching the sunset. They didn't talk about the obvious quiet that had overtaken the village, or the lack of voices to keep them company during the day. Faye had taken up all sorts of training: bows, lances, swords, magic. Kliff stuck to magic only, and when their self-taught lessons coincided, they worked together to spark flames or summon tiny bolts of electricity.</p><p>The next morning, they received a pleasant surprise.</p><p>"Faye?"</p><p>She was out for a walk, holding a basket of apples as she meant to bake a pie for Kliff and his upcoming birthday.</p><p>Upon hearing the familiar voice, she dropped the basket, apples and all.</p><p>"Celica?" She covered her mouth with her hands, not fully believing. "Celica, is that really you?"</p><p>"Faye!" Celica caught her name in between pleasant laughter and near sobs. She ran through the fields, trampling through daisies until she reached her. They were almost eye-to-eye, although Celica was noticeably taller. And it wasn't the only difference in her appearance over the years, as Faye's eyes shamelessly flickered over the curves of her body, face darkening all the while.</p><p>If Celica noticed her ogling, she didn't show it. "I never thought I'd see you again! You're still here, after all this time?"</p><p>She expected her to ask about Alm, because Faye knew the two of them were thick as thieves back in the day. Hell, it was their closeness that sparked Faye's competitive spirit in the beginning, as she longed for attention like Alm's fixation on Celica. But now that she was here in the flesh, those thoughts were discarded, suddenly irrelevant. "I am," she said. "Kliff is here, too. Alm and the others left with some guy named Lukas, and they're out doing...something."</p><p>She didn't want to admit it, but ever since Alm left, she tried her hardest to forget the reason why. So Zofia and Rigel were at war, were they? What did that have to do with their idyllic countryside? Faye didn't know the answer.</p><p>Celica frowned, and if Faye hadn't missed her so much, she would have told her to stop doing that to her pretty face. "I see. Well, I know it might seem rather selfish of me to ask, but if neither of you are doing anything right now, I could use you."</p><p>"You could 'use' us?" Faye raised a brow. "How?"</p><p>"I need to see Mila for myself. But that's not the least of it. We, I—let's talk inside. Like good old times?" Celica extended her arm, as if meaning for Faye to take it.</p><p>She hesitated at first. For so long, she had come to resent Celica: missing her for leaving them, hating her because of how much her absence affected them. It affected Alm to the point where he left the village that was once his home, abandoning Faye and Kliff in the process. It affected Faye to the point where she didn't know if what she wanted all along was Alm's praise, or Celica's kindness.</p><p>She answered her own uncertainties by linking arms with Celica.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"I can't ask you to come with me if you don't want to. I understand if you don't, because where I'm going isn't the safest place."</p><p>"But you <em>are </em>going somewhere," Kliff said, rather than asked. He was always the smartest of their group, and it was strange that Alm would leave the village brainiac behind. But Celica couldn't say much in the way of Alm's intelligence or decision-making, to begin with. "As in, you and your other friends are travelling together? Seeing the world?"</p><p>"Yes," Celica said, blinking out of surprise. "In the simplest of words, that's what we're doing."</p><p>"Count me in."</p><p>"Just like that?" Faye frowned. "Kliff, didn't you hear? It's <em>dangerous."</em></p><p>"Weren't you the one crying because Alm left us behind?"</p><p>Faye's mouth dropped open, and she looked between Kliff (smiling smugly, the bastard he is) and Celica (looking sympathetic, the angel she is) while sputtering. "Th-that's not, I didn't—I <em>did not </em>cry when Alm left!"</p><p>"My tear-stained shirts beg to differ."</p><p>"Kliff!"</p><p>"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Celica supplied, gentle as always. "Like I said, I can't force you. I wouldn't want to, in the first place."</p><p>"But—"</p><p>"But I need you. I need more people on my side, and, in truth?" She smiled, her eyes twinkling like rubies. "I missed you so much."</p><p>Faye wanted to believe that she would have joined Celica, anyway, if only to avoid being alone and nothing else. But hearing that she was needed and missed, when previously she thought that no one even considered her at all, was the last push needed to drive her over the edge.</p><p>She grinned. "I missed you too. When do we leave?"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Faye stepped onto the boarding plank, feet unsteady as the ocean's waves lapped against the dock beneath her. She knew that leaving Ram Village with Celica (and an awestruck Kliff, as well) in tow would be an adventure, far different than anything they could ever dream of, but she didn't know that it would be like <em>this.</em></p><p>Mae and Boey were arguing about something, and the man called Saber looked out to the sea, scoffing. Celica caught up to them with a smile, and waved in Faye and Kliff's general direction. Kliff wasn't interested in formalities, however, as he dismissed them all with a shrug and wandered off. Faye stood there shyly, meanwhile, unsure of how to handle the new attention.</p><p>Celica regarded her fondly, her kindness enough to diffuse Faye's nerves and worries. It was then that she remembered one of the chief reasons she missed her, in the first place.</p><p>Her smile could put the stars to shame.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>They stopped by a nearby island, meeting three strange men who share a goal: getting back at the human traffickers masked as bandits, and destroying the fiends who call themselves men. The whole thing was really upsetting, so Faye was just glad that Celica remained close to her all the while. Faye had taken up the bow as a main offensive weapon since their journey started, so she stayed in the back, teaming up with the purple-haired guy—Leon, or something—to snipe the creeps from afar.</p><p>At some point, Celica fell back with a grimace, stumbling. Faye gasped, and rushed over to her side. "Celica, are you okay?"</p><p>"I-I'm fine," she croaked. "Boey and Mae are up front taking out the last of them. I underestimated their strength."</p><p>Suddenly wishing she'd taken on healing magic, instead, Faye ushered Celica to the ground, and pulled out a vulnerary from her rucksack. "It's okay, it's okay, I got you."</p><p>Faye only saw Kliff do this once since they started out on their journey, so her motions were hesitant (<em>so much blood, </em>she distantly thought), but she poured the tonic over Celica's wounds, anyway. And she held tightly onto her hand when Celica flinched—less out of pain and more out of surprise from the way the liquid soaked over her skin. There was a tiny sob caught in the back of her throat, but Faye expertly ignored it. Then she tore a strip of fabric off her own shawl, wrapping it around the wound as tightly as she could.</p><p>The battle ended, but all Faye thought about was Celica, and how of all the things she missed about her, she really could have gone without seeing her cry.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"Couldn't sleep?" Celica's voice was barely heard over the wind.</p><p>Faye was sure she'd hear her even in the midst of a storm. "Yeah. I dunno, I used to sleep like a baby. Remember our sleepovers?"</p><p>"Of course." Celica joined Faye's side on the hilltop, sat beneath a starry sky and resting on soft grass. It was a rare moment of reprieve in between battles, and the crisp air never tasted better. "Do you still snore like a monster?"</p><p>"Rude!" She shoved her lightly, cheeks flushed. "I do <em>not </em>snore. I never did."</p><p>"Huh. I remember differently—"</p><p>"Do <em>you </em>still sleep with a stuffy?"</p><p>"N-No!" Celica stammered, and grew redder at Faye's smugness. "Hey, don't give me that look! I'm serious!"</p><p>"Sure you are. You're a hugger, though, so maybe you've been squeezing Mae to death every night, instead? Poor girl."</p><p>"Ha! You're one to talk. Kliff hasn't stopped complaining about your crying, or the way you—"</p><p>"Kliff is a jerk," Faye muttered. "Please don't believe anything he says."</p><p>"I'll think about it." Celica's smile was teasing as she nudged Faye with her shoulder. "Although I might want proof someday."</p><p>"Proof?" Faye blinked. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Well, it's—" Celica leaned back on her hands, staring skyward— "a nice night. The sleeping arrangement is less nice."</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"I think Mae claimed a tent just for herself and Boey. Saber never seems to sleep, and so that would leave us and Kliff. But I think he took a tent for himself, too."</p><p>"So there's one left?"</p><p>"Right. If you want, you can take it, and I'll just—"</p><p>"No, no it's fine." Faye fell flat on her back with a sigh. "I'm tired of having sleepovers with Kliff. He doesn't snore, but he never wants to talk! And when he <em>does </em>want to talk, it's always about something boring. It really sucks."</p><p>"I see. So you want me to sleep in his tent, instead?"</p><p>"What?" Faye bolted upright. "That's not—"</p><p>"I'm joking," Celica said. "Let's share a tent tonight. Then I'll see for myself if you're still a snoring monster or not."</p><p>"And I'll see if you haven't sneaked a stuffy somewhere, either." Faye reached out her hand, and nearly jumped when Celica clasped it. "I'm tired. Let's head in?"</p><p>She squeezed her hand a little tighter before nodding. "Let's."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Their paths crossed with Alm's at the castle. Faye noticed Gray and Tobin, and how they were distinctively taller and much stronger than she last saw them. Maybe countless fights did that to a person, or perhaps the strength was always in them, and it took months of separation and fighting to reveal it.</p><p>Either way, Faye said little to her childhood friends, in spite of their bond. At the very least, she waved at them, but ducked out of sight before they could react. She quickly went back to Celica's side, eager to separate herself from the rest of the Deliverance.</p><p>Faye avoided Alm like her life depended on it. And at the end of the day, when Faye collapsed into the safety of darkness with nothing but her thoughts, she realized that it did.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>"Wow, so...Anthiese, huh?" Faye shifted uncomfortably, head hanging low. "And you have a brother, too. Who knew?"</p><p>"I did," Celica supplied, sounding guilty. "But hopefully you can understand why it had to be this way. In order to protect—"</p><p>"Don't go giving me a heartfelt speech, now. I've had enough of those to last a lifetime."</p><p>"Faye…"</p><p>She glanced at Celica, scanning her over with narrowed eyes. Part of her was really hurt by the lies, even if the rest of her knew that she lied for a reason. To think that a princess of both Zofian and Rigelian royalty had been her childhood friend all this time? It felt like a dream, one that Faye desperately wanted to wake from.</p><p>Didn't that mean Celica's fate was entwined with Alm? And Faye—stupidly helpless and helplessly romantic Faye—fooled herself into thinking she belonged in their relationship anywhere. Compared to them, she was just a simple girl, who did things on a whim and was deathly afraid of being alone. She hated the idea of being alone so much, she went to great lengths to make herself wanted, needed, <em>loved.</em></p><p>So why was everything so cold, now? She held back the tears as she sighed. "So, when all of this is over, what are you going to do?"</p><p>"...People would expect me to take up Alm as a husband. And for us to rule over all of Valentia together. It makes sense, doesn't it?" Celica laughed bitterly. "But lately, I've been thinking it over, and I've decided that's not what I want."</p><p>"Then what is it you want?"</p><p>For a long time, neither of the girls said anything. Then Celica destroyed the silence with a masterful, artful giggle, and leaned her head on Faye's shoulder. Faye, who couldn't hold back the tears any longer, allowed this to happen.</p><p>"I'm not quite sure," Celica admitted. "Though once I figure it out, you're the first one to know."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>They'd done it—Duma was defeated, and together with Mila, the stray deity ascended from the world he ravaged, leaving peace and rebuilding to those that survived.</p><p>Days after the battle, Faye sought out Celica, who naturally took residence in the royal castle. She hadn't been crowned as queen yet, although Alm rose to the position of king, and announced that there would be no more Zofia or Rigel: only one continent and one ruler to oversee it all, "One Valentia" or so he called it.</p><p>Faye thought it was a lovely gesture, but with the war over, she had nothing left to do. Celica seemed to be suffering from the same feelings of indecisiveness, because she looked upon Faye with something like pity in her eyes. "Faye, you're here."</p><p>"I am. Everything's nice and happy now, right?"</p><p>Celica looked away. "Right."</p><p>"Alm hasn't said anything about you becoming his queen. Are you still—are you considering it?"</p><p>"Of course I've considered it. The people would benefit from having a pair of stable rulers. However, I've had some time to think about it, and I, I just can't imagine myself living out the rest of my days with Alm. At least, not as his queen, or his wife, or any of those things."</p><p>It was Faye's dream, once upon a time, to be married to the man in question. Now, however, she nodded in agreement. "I get where you're coming from, really. So you're not gonna marry Alm—any other plans you've got for the future? The world's our oyster!"</p><p>"I was going to ask you something, actually. And I suppose now would be a good time as any." She stood to her feet, and Faye shriveled at the sight of her: she had gotten even taller since they first reunited. Her fiery red hair was worn in its usual curly manner, but there was something softer and calmer about her look today. Something in the white dress and warm, brown eyes that was different than any other time Faye had seen it.</p><p>Something swelling, bright, and <em>happy. </em>Faye swallowed her hesitation, and forced herself to ask "What is it?"</p><p>Celica hummed as she grabbed Faye's hands in her own, and swung them gently through the air. It was an act they'd done countless times, before and after getting separated for years on end. Faye closed her eyes against the sight, and sighed as Celica's soft voice fluttered through her ears. "When I first asked you and Kliff to join me, I was so worried you'd say no."</p><p>"...Yeah?"</p><p>"Mmm," Celica muttered. "But you can't imagine how relieved I was when you two came along with me. You, especially, Faye." Her voice grew even more hushed, and Faye found herself leaning in to hear the best of it: "I've come to care about you more than I'd ever admit. I, I <em>care </em>about you, Faye."</p><p>"I care about you, too, Celica. Which is why I—I really didn't want you to marry Alm. I was so worried you would, so I had all these stupid schemes planned up. Like, objecting you at the altar when the priest asks if anyone wants to say anything. Or kidnapping you." Faye opened her eyes, widening them in shock at the horrified expression that flickered across Celica's face for a few seconds. She quickly added, "I wasn't going to! I just thought about it! Again, blame Kliff: he's the best at scheming these kinds of things."</p><p>"I-I see…"</p><p>"What I mean to say is...I care about you, too, Celica. I think I might even lo—"</p><p>"I love you, Faye."</p><p>And of all the words, thoughts, feelings, and promises Faye ever brought into existence—all the worries, doubts, and insecurities—evaporated into the air above her. She had no reply to a simple string of words, the same words she wanted to hear all her life. She had nothing to say to that, and if it weren't for Celica holding her hands, she would've collapsed into herself.</p><p>Celica held on to her tightly, though, and remained steadfast. "Faye? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"</p><p>"I love you too," she said, flustered. Her face was red and her eyes were tearing up, but she held fast to her delicate hands (not so delicate anymore, if the cuts and bruises over the fingers and the calluses on her digits had anything to say about it) and didn't let go. "I love you so much."</p><p>"Can I kiss you?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Then all the emotion and passion returned to Faye full-force, her lips crashing against Celica's in desperate, impulsive movements. Neither of them were very experienced at this, and it showed in their clumsy angles and awkward positioning. At some point, though, they found an untapped rhythm, and wrestled one sweet, perfect, final kiss from the messy attempts made before it.</p><p>Celica pulled back, mouth hurting and cheeks aflame, with a smile. "Aha, sorry, that wasn't the best—"</p><p>"It's fine. We have plenty of time to practice, don't we?"</p><p>"Yes, I suppose we do."</p><p>"So, who wants to be the one to break the news to Alm and the others?"</p><p>"Both of us?" Celica offered a happy compromise, although making their newfound love a public declaration wasn't at the top of her list of priorities. "Let's take our time, Faye. It's what we do best."</p><p>"It's what we do best," she agreed, and brought Celica's hand up to her mouth, where she placed a kiss atop her bruised knuckles. "Although if we're ever going to get married, let's make Kliff our maid of honor. That should shut him up for the rest of our lives."</p><p>It wasn't Faye's best joke, but perhaps because of the situation—of the lightheartedness in their voices, the heavy love in their hearts, the dreams and wishes absolving in their minds—Celica found everything to be funny, and she laughed harder than she ever did before.</p><p>At this, Faye realized something crucial about Celica.</p><p>She missed her laughter most of all.</p>
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